Get the Lead Out: 7 Leaders, 7 Questions, 7 Days - Day 7, Pastor Keith Day

Welcome to day seven of a solid week of inspiration, insight, and instruction.

Today is Mother's Day. I celebrate every mother stopping by this space today. No greater influence or more important leader exists than "Mom."

Happy Mother's Day!

I could not be more excited to share the wisdom of a leader than I am to share my soul's brother, my ride-or-die buddy, and my friend of 43 years and counting.

Keith Day is the pastor of Chapel Creek Fellowship in Ft. Worth, Texas, and has been for more than 20 years. He accepted the pastorate when Chapel Creek was a fledgling handful of starry-eyed dreamers meeting in a storefront, wanting to impact their corner of Ft. Worth for Christ, and built them into a force for good. He has overseen exponential numerical growth, established ministries for young and old, built a Christian daycare, and been a good and faithful shepherd for two decades.

Before he was Pastor Keith, he was just Keith to me. I was a 19-year-old staff member at Friendly Lane Baptist Church. My wife and I led the youth ministries there, though we were still youths ourselves. Keith and his wife Debbie became our fast friends and coworkers in the ministry. We all went to bible college together in Missouri, and when I accepted my first pastorate (in California), as soon as I could afford to do so, I invited Keith to join the staff there.

We have seen one another through every season. We have celebrated the births of our children and buried our fathers and my mother together. I know the man as well as anyone I have ever known and have no higher regard for anyone I have ever known.

Keith is not on LinkedIn but his influence on lives and his knowledge of leadership is worthy of being shared and celebrated with those of us who are. If you enjoy or glean something useful from him, shoot him an email and thank him - [email protected]

Now, Keith answers our seven questions on leadership.

How do you define your role as a leader?

I would define my role as the leader of our church as a guide. I believe I should communicate truth and help others reach the destination God has for them.

What do you consider your greatest strength and how do you play to it?

My greatest strength as a leader is relatability. I use the opportunities I have with our people to demonstrate to them that pastors struggle with the same issues they do.

A willingness to be genuine with the people you are leading increases your credibility and strengthens your influence.

A willingness to be genuine with the people you are leading increases your credibility and strengthens your influence. -Keith

What do you see as your biggest weakness and how do you strengthen it or minimize any negative impact it may have on your effectiveness as a leader?

My greatest weakness has been attempting to do too many things. I have learned the hard way that when you spin too many plates something will suffer. I have learned that to be more effective a leader must be willing to delegate and allow other leaders to lead.

How do you measure your success as a leader?

The way I measure success has evolved over the years. At the beginning of my ministry, success was measured by numbers. How many attended the service, or life decisions were made. Today, my measurement of success is changed lives. Leading someone to a life-changing relationship with Christ is the greatest success I can hope for.

Which leader(s) most impacted you and how?

First is Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus stands above all other people in leadership. He was genuine, loving, truthful, focused, courageous, and sacrificial. Jesus demonstrates to us all what being a selfless leader is all about.

What has changed most about leadership or what challenges do leaders face today that they not have faced in the past?

The cultural shift that we have experienced over the last 50 years is unprecedented. The challenges of political correctness, the influence of social media, and the drift away from traditional moral values have added to the problems a leader will have to navigate to be effective.

Someone has just stepped into a new leadership role. If you can only impress upon them one thing, what is it and why is it important?

Remember that the most effective leaders our world has ever seen were servant leaders. Serve those you lead and they will give their best as you pursue common goals.

Author's Conclusion

I have observed Keith as a leader and as a follower of Christ. He is more about demonstrable faith than demonstrations. He has a soft heart, a keen mind, a genuine pulpit presence, and strong, strong hands.

Today, my measurement of success is changed lives. -Pastor Keith